AUTHOR=Zhang Xin , Wang Jiahui , Hao Yanhua , Wu Ke , Jiao Mingli , Liang Libo , Gao Lijun , Ning Ning , Kang Zheng , Shan Linghan , He Wenfeng , Wang Yongchen , Wu Qunhong , Yin Wenqiang 

TITLE=Prevalence and Factors Associated With Burnout of Frontline Healthcare Workers in Fighting Against the COVID-19 Pandemic: Evidence From China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.680614

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2021.680614

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Objectives</title><p>The sudden outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) plunged healthcare workers (HCWs) into warfare. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout and the factors associated with it among frontline HCWs fighting COVID-19.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>A cross-sectional survey was conducted among frontline HCWs fighting against the COVID-19 in Wuhan, Harbin, and Shenzhen during the period from February 18 to March 4. Finally, HCWs were recruited using cluster sampling, 1,163 HCWs were included in the final analysis. Burnout was measured using a 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory scale (MBI scale).</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Of the participants, 48.6% suffered from burnout, and 21.8% showed a high degree of burnout. Doctors (<italic>b</italic> = 3.954, <italic>P</italic> = 0.011) and nurses (<italic>b</italic> = 3.067, <italic>P</italic> = 0.042) showed higher emotional exhaustion (EE) than administrators. Participants who worked continuously for more than 8 h a day (<italic>b</italic> = 3.392, <italic>P</italic> = 0.000), those who were unable to eat three regular daily meals (<italic>b</italic> = 2.225, <italic>P</italic> = 0.008), whose daily water intake was no more than 800 ml (<italic>b</italic> = 3.007, <italic>P</italic> = 0.000), who slept for no more than 6 h (<italic>b</italic> = 1.609, <italic>P</italic> = 0.036), and who were infected or had colleagues who were infected with COVID-19 (<italic>b</italic> = 4.182, <italic>P</italic> = 0.000) experienced much higher levels of EE, while those who could adhere to infection control procedures (<italic>b</italic> = −5.992, <italic>P</italic> = 0.000), who were satisfied with their hospital’s infection control measures(<italic>b</italic> = −3.709, <italic>P</italic> = 0.001), and who could receive sufficient psychological crisis intervention (<italic>b</italic> = −1.588, <italic>P</italic> = 0.039) reported lower levels of EE.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusion</title><p>The study reveals that burnout is prevalent among frontline HCWs and that the known factors associated with burnout, such as workload, and the factors directly associated with COVID-19, such as having insufficient protection, can affect burnout symptoms in frontline HCWs. Synergized and comprehensive interventions should be targeted at reducing its occurrence among frontline HCWs fighting COVID-19.</p></sec>